Shelf support leg lock bracket

ABSTRACT

A clip or snap-on bracket allows a shelf to be removably attached to the top of a vertical post. The bracket includes two parts, a first of which slips over the top of the post and has attachment pins for giving support to a cantilevered shelf, extending from either or both the right or the left sides of the post. Also, suitable connectors on this bracket give horizontal stabilization on either or both sides. The other part of the bracket is a very low cost folded piece of metal, which hangs on the pins of the first bracket.

O United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,784,025 Dumit Jan. 8, 1974 [54] SHELF SUPPORT LEG LOCK BRACKET 285,728 1/1953 Switzerland 108/48 [75] Inventor: Joseph P. Dumit, Chicago, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Atco Corporation, Chicago, 111. Prim ry Exam ne Ram0n S- Brit Filed p 28 1971 Att0meyAlter, Weiss, Whitesel & Laff [21] Appi. No.: 184,430

57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 211/148, 248/243 1 A clip or snap-0n bracket allows a shelf to be remov- 21 1 245 6 1 i f ably attached to the top of a vertical post. The bracket i 89 36 includes two parts, a first of which slips over the top of the post and has attachment pins for giving support to 5 6] R f C1 d a cantilevered shelf, extending from either or both the e erences l e right or the left sides of the post. Also, suitable con- UNITED STATES PATENTS nectors on this bracket give horizontal stabilization on 412,522 10/1889 Moats 248/216 either or both sides. The other part of the bracket is a 3,127,995 4/1964 Mosinski 211/148 very low cost folded piece of meta], hangs on 3,186,527 6/1965 Konstant et a1 21 1/148 X the pins f the first bracket.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 30,875 6/1968 Germany 211/148 9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 8 m4 SHEET 101- 2 iNVENTOR JOSEPH P. DUMIT a aim zoiw ATTO R N EYS PATENTEBJAN 8mm 3.784.025 sum 20? 2 48 n J it y 7 INVENTOR JOSEPH P DUMIT 2%ww wm ATTORNEYS SHELF SUPPORT LEG LOCK BRACKET This invention relates to counter and shelf supports and more particularly to leg lock brackets for making quick and easy connect and disconnect between a shelf and its supports.

Shelves for commercial and industrial use must withstand heavy loads and severe usage. Yet, they should not show abuse or become unsightly, regardless of such usage. As a result, it is common practice to have large and massive welded steel, shelf supporting structures which provide strength, durability, and utility.

Heretofore, it has been common practice to either carry the steel shelf support into a store and there to weld it together, in place, or to weld it in a factory. In the case of factory welding, the supports were large and bulky objects as large as the final counters or shelves. They required a large volume of space on trucks or in box cars. They sometimes required cranes or other lifting machines to transport and manipulate them. The doors of stores had to be large with an unobstructed access to the doors in order to receive the steel shelf support and provide maneuvering space.

After the conventional shelves are installed, as in a grocery store, for example, the store is more or less committed to the original lay out. While it might be possible to slide the shelf supports to some nearby location, they could not be easily moved because they interfere with each other and could not be conveniently lifted over each other. Thus, the rearrangement of a store layout is usually a very substantial undertaking.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a dismountable or detachable steel frame for shelf supports. Here, an object is to provide massive steel shelf supports which may be carried in pieces into a store and there assembled, with no welding or other special on site assembly apparatus required. Yet another object is to provide a shelf support with both vertical and horizontal stabilization and with stabilization against rotation. In this connection, an object is to provide a steel shelf support which may be assembled, disassembled, and re-assembled any convenient number of times, where it is possible for each re-assembly to be in a different optional configuration.

Another object of the invention is to provide attractive, well-finished shelf supports which can withstand long years of abusive treatment-including repeated assembly and disassemblywithout deterioration.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the foregoing objects through the use of general purpose tools and without requiring any substantial amounts of special purpose tools,jigs, dies, or the like. Here an object is to provide a shelf support structure of a design which does not require a substantial amount of capital investment in order to enter the business of producing such supports.

In keeping with an aspect of the invention, these and other objects are accomplished by a clip-in or snap-on bracket which allows a shelf to be removably attached to the top of a vertical post. In particular, the bracket includes two parts, a first of which slips over the top of the post. This first part has an attachment means for giving support to a cantilevered shelf extending from either or both the right side or the left side of the post. Also, a number of suitable connectors are provided for giving horizontal stabilization on either or both sides of the post. The other part of the bracket is a very low cost, folded piece of metal, which might be made on a single, progressive die. for example.

A preferred embodiment of the invention may be understood best from a study of the attached drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank which may be stamped from a sheet of metal;

FIG. 2 is a first perspective view of the first bracket part, of FIG. 1, looking at the hook side thereof.

FIG. 3 is a second perspective view of the first bracket part, of FIG. 1, looking at the shelf support side thereof;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the second or mating bracket part which is for complementary use with the first bracket part of FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the back of the second bracket part, looking in the direction 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is the top plan view of the second bracket part of FIG. 4, looking downwardly in the direction 66;

FIG. 7 is an elevation side view of two shelf supports, which are vertically assembled through a use of the two brackets of FIGS. 16;

FIG. 8 is an end elevation view of the outboard end of a shelf support taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 shows another optional arrangement of two shelf supports, juxtaposed in aligned horizontal positions.

The first leg lock bracket support part (FIGS. l-3) comprises a blank 20 which is stamped out of a heavy gauge of sheet metal which may be about one-eight inch thick. The blank 20 may be described as a single, integral piece of metal including a first or rectangular panel 21 having a pair of oppositely disposed integrally formed, irregular six sided panels 22, 23, one of the pair of panels being formed on each of the two opposite sides 24, 25 of the rectangular panel 21. Each of the oppositely disposed edges 26, 28 having two notch defining hooks 30, 31 and 32, 33 formed therein.

The perimeter of the first six sided panel 22 is defined by a crease line 24, a bottom side 35 including a notch 36a, the notched edge 26, a top side 40, a mitered corner 41, and a cut out edge 42. The mitered corner 41 is cut with an angle 44 which is in the order of 30 with respect to the top edge 40. The edge 26 is also cut with angle 45 of about 30 with respect to the fold line 24. The second six side panel 23 is formed with similar sides, edges, and notches.

Next, blank 20 is folded along the crease lines 24, 25 in any suitable manner, as by means of a progressive die, for example. The resulting structure has a U- shaped cross section, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The hooks 30, 32 and the hooks 31, 33 are positioned in spaced parallel relationship, as are the resulting notches, such as 36a, 36b and 37a, 37b. The central panel 21 forms a load bearing cross brace set at about 30 with respect to the horizontal as indicated in FIG. 3. An arm 46 (FIG. 7) is made from a single piece of sheet metal which is folded to a U-shaped cross section with the side walls cut at angles 0, d which are slightly more than 45 to define two arm sections 46, 47. The arm section 47 may be sent at 48 so that the sides of angles c, d come together to form an angle e which is slightly less than Then the two edges of these angles c and d are welded together. A nut 49 is welded inside the U-shaped channel of the dep endent arm 47.,

When the arm 47 is welded into the angle e and the arm 46 is horizontal, the axis of the threaded hole in nut 49 is vertical.

The shelf support arm 46 fits in between the cut out edges 42, 42 of bracket 20, and is made perpendicular with respect to the edges 28, 26. Then, the two parts 20 and 46 are welded together along the edges 40, 41, 42. When so welded, the hooks 30, 32 and 31, 33 provide vertically aligned points of attachment, and the center panel 21 in bracket 20 provides a cross brace support to the arm 46.

The second bracket part 50 comprises a second folded piece of sheet metal which may also be made on progressive dies, for example, or may be drawn to shape. The bracket 50 has a generally squared C- shaped" cross section, as best seen in FIG. 6. When folded in to its final shape, the bracket 50 has a somewhat box shaped configuration. Four horizontally disposed pins 51, 52, 52, 54 are supported in two vertically aligned rows and in spaced parallel relationship near the four corners of the box shaped bracket. A vertical series of generally rectangular openings 56, 57, 58 run down the two sides of bracket 50, which forms the top and bottom of the C-shape cross section.

The spacing of the pins 51-54 is such that they fit into the notches 36, 37 of bracket 20, and the hooks 30-33 on bracket 20 are shaped to guide the pins into the notches. The distance a separating the two side plates 22, 23 (preferably in the order of one-and-onehalf inches) is such that it fits loosely over the side b of the bracket 50 (FIG. 6). Thus, the first bracket part 20 may be hung on either side 60 or 61 (FIG. of the second bracket part 50.

FIG. 7 shows two examplary shelve supports, with a wide shelf support 46 hung over a narrow shelf support 69, by way of example. Of course, a single shelf support 46 or a plurality of similar supports may also be provided. As here shown, vertical posts 70a, 70b fit into holes in a horizontal base plate 71. The nature of the plate 71 is not relevant. Usually, it is an easily movable cabinet base. However, there is no reason why the posts 70 should not also be set in cement, if the user so desires.

The arms 46 and 69 may be hung by their brackets a, 20b on the brackets 50a, 50b fitted over the ends of the posts 70a, 7017, respectively. Leveling bolts 73, 74 are fitted and turned into the welded nuts 49a, 49b, respectively. Then the bolts 73, 74 are turned until the arms 46, 69 are level and exactly horizontal.

Each of the shelf supports 46, 49 has a plurality of paired notches 75 cut therein to receive stringer supports which run longitudinally and perpendicularly across two or more arms, such as 46, 69 and support shelves, not shown. Alternatively, any other'suitable type of hardware may also be fitted into these notches 75.

A very good grade of wear resistant finish is put on over the parts described thus far, i.e. brackets 20, 50, posts 70, arms 46, 69, and leveling rods 73, 74. This finish could be any suitable plating or baked or enamel. A preferred finish is a wrinkled black paint.

To install the shelves, the base 71 is first put into place. Then, the posts 70 (with thieir attached brackets 50)'are fitted into the base. Next, the arms 46,69 are hung onto the posts 70 by interaction and interconnection of the brackets 20 and 50. The rods 73, 74 are threaded into the nuts 49 and turned to level the arms 46, 69. Thereafter, shelf stringers (not shown) may be laid across the arms 46, 69 with stringers fitted into notches 75. Then, the shelves are placed over the stringers; or, the stringers could be attached to the shelves before installation.

If horizontally opposed, twin shelves are desired, other, similar arms may be suspended from the other sides of the brackets 50a, 50b, as by means of the pins 51, 54, for example.

To give horizontal support to the vertical posts 70, any suitable connector may be fitted into one or more of the openings 56, 57, 58 (FIG. 4). These connectors may be bolted or otherwise attached to an adjacent wall, for example. Also, the outboard dependent arms 47 may have complementary and aligned openings 76 (FIG. 8) cut therein. Thus, as seen in FIG. 9, two of the arms 46a, 46b may be brought together with the dependent arms 47a, 47b in the outer ends in face-to-face contact. A rod 78 (seen in phantom in FIG. 9) is run through the openings 56 in the brackets 50 and openings 76 in the dependent arms 47, thereby providing alignment, support, and stability.

It should now be apparent that the novel leg lock bracket 20, 50 enables the shelf support to be carried, in pieces, into a store. There the pieces may be assembled, diassembled, and reassembled any convenient number of times at the owners convenience. Other alternative uses will also be perceived by those who are skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A leg lock clip-in or snap-on bracket for a shelf support frame,

said bracket comprising two parts,

a first of said bracket parts being a metal plate folded to have a generally U-shaped cross section with vertically aligned notches disposed along opposite edges thereof at both of the outer ends of the U- shaped cross section,

the other of said bracket parts comprising a generally box shaped member having four spaced parallel pins positioned in two vertically algined rows extending across opposite sides of said box with their ends projecting outwardly therefrom to receive and engage said notches when the open side of said U- shape is fitted over a side of said box shape,

said first bracket part being attached to an end of a horizontal shelf support, and

said other bracket part being attached to a vertical post. 2. The bracket of claim 1 wherein one end of said first bracket part has a cut-out section at the bottom of said U-shape, an end of said horizontal shelf support fitting into and attached to said out out section of said first bracket part.

3. The bracket of claim 2 wherein the bottom part of said U-shaped metal plate is a panel set at a cross bracing angle with respect to said vertically aligned notches.

4. Thebracket of cla im 3 wherein said angle is approximately 30 degrees.

5. The bracket of claim 4 wherein said other bracket part has at least one opening therein,

said opening being accessible to a connector even when said first bracket part is fitted over said other bracket part, and

at least one connector fitting into said opening for giving horizontal stability to said shelf support.

6. The bracket of claim 1 wherein there are two of said horizontal shelf supports,-each of said shelf supports having one of said first bracket parts associated therewith at one end of said support, said horizontal supports being hung by said first bracket parts from opposite sides of one of said other bracket parts.

7. A leg lock clip-in or snap-on bracket for a shelf 5 engage said notches when the open side of said U- shape is fitted over a side of said box shape,

the other of said bracket parts being attached to vertical posts,

two horizontal shelf supports, and

one each of said first bracket parts being attached to an end of each of said horizontal shelf supports.

8. A shelf supporting system comprising vertical post means,

first bracket means affixed near the top of said vertical post means,

said first bracket means comprising a generally hollow box shaped member receiving said vertical post means therein and having at least a pair of space parallel pins extending across opposite sides of said box with the ends of said pins projecting outwardly therefrom,

a second bracket means being a metal plate folded to have a generally U shaped cross section with vertically aligned notches thereon complementary to said outwardly projecting ends of said first bracket means,

shelf support means,

said second bracket means attached to said shelf support means at one end thereof,

said shelf support means and said post being detachably joined together by the complementary notches engaging the ends of said outwardly projecting parallel pins, v

a nut welded to the other end of said horizontal shelf support means, and

threaded rod means coupled with the threads of said nut and extending downwardly for selectively supporting said shelf support means and for levelling said shelf support means. t

9. The system of claim 8 and base means for vertically supporting said posts and threaded rod means. 

1. A leg lock clip-in or snap-on bracket for a shelf support frame, said bracket comprising two parts, a first of said bracket parts being a metal plate folded to have a generally U-shaped cross section with vertically aligned notches disposed along opposite edges thereof at both of the outer ends of the U-shaped cross section, the other of said bracket parts comprising a generally box shaped member having four spaced parallel pins positioned in two vertically algined rows extending across opposite sides of said box with their ends projecting outwardly therefrom to receive and engage said notches when the open side of said Ushape is fitted over a side of said box shape, said first bracket part being attached to an end of a horizontal shelf support, and said other bracket part being attached to a vertical post.
 2. The bracket of claim 1 wherein one end of said first bracket part has a cut-out section at the bottom of said U-shape, an end of said horizontal shelf support fitting into and attached to said cut out section of said first bracket part.
 3. The bracket of claim 2 wherein the bottom part of said U-shaped metal plate is a panel set at a cross bracing angle with respect to said vertically aligned notches.
 4. The bracket of claim 3 wherein said angle is approximately 30 degrees.
 5. The bracket of claim 4 wherein said other bracket part has at least one opening therein, said opening being accessible to a connector even when said first bracket part is fitted over said other bracket part, and at least one connector fitting into said opening for giving horizontal stability to said shelf support.
 6. The bracket of claim 1 wherein there are two of said horizontal shelf supports, each of said shelf supports having one of said first bracket parts associated therewith at one end of said support, said horizontal supports being hung by said first bracket parts from opposite sides of one of said other bracket parts.
 7. A leg lock clip-in or snap-on bracket for a shelf support frame, said bracket comprising two parts, a first of said bracket parts being a metal plate folded to have a generally U-shaped cross section with vertically aligned notches disposed along opposite edges thereof at the outer ends of the U-shaped cross section, the other of said bracket parts comprising a generally box shaped member having four spaced parallel pins positioned in two vertically aligned rows extending across opposite sides of said box with their ends projecting outwardly therefrom to receive and engage said notches when the open side of said U-shape is fitted over a side of said box shape, the other of said bracket parts being attached to vertical posts, two horizontal shelf supports, and one each of said first bracket parts being attached to an end of each of said horizontal shelf supports.
 8. A shelf supporting system comprising vertical post means, first bracket means affixed near the top of said vertical post means, said first bracket means comprising a generally hollow box shaped member receiving said vertical post means therein and having at least a pair of space parallel pins extending across opposite sides of said box with the ends of said pins projecting outwardly therefrom, a second bracket means being a metal plate folded to have a generally U shaped cross section with vertically aligned notches thereon complementary to said outwardly projecting ends of said first bracket means, shelf support means, said second bracket means attached to said shelf support means at one end thereof, said shelf support means and said post being detachably joined together by the complementary notches engaging the ends of said outwardly projecting parallel pins, a nut welded to the other end of said horizontal shelf support means, and threaded rod means coupled with the threads of said nut and extending downwardly for selectively supporting said shelf support means and for levelling said shelf support means.
 9. The system of claim 8 and base means for vertically supporting said posts and threaded rod means. 